When a child-free lunch opportunity arose unexpectedly, it was the perfect opportunity to check out the new premises of Barbakan, the much-loved Polish restaurant. A promising sign that independent, family-run eateries can flourish in York, Barbakan has relocated its restaurant to the old Blue Bicycle building, just up the road in Fossgate.  It prompted a […]

Put that passport away: if it’s beautiful beaches and seaside activities you’re after, look no further than the stunning Yorkshire coast. From the winding streets of Whitby to the wide expanses of sand at Hunmanby Gap, there’s a huge variety of places to go and adventures to be had for families with children of all […]

It’s berry nice that you’ve decided to read our review of one of York’s newest cafe, Plush. You really are the zest! A pun-packed menu is just one of the quirky aspects of this family-run venture, nestled in a cosy, higgledly-piggledy building in the heart of York on Stonegate. There are three themed dining rooms […]

Put your passports away: with the Yorkshire Dales on our doorstep, who needs beaches and palm trees? With caves, waterfalls, rolling hills and steam railways, castles and coves, there’s loads to see and do. For our first camping trip of the year, we headed over to Bolton Abbey for a weekend of fresh Yorkshire air […]

As the weather starts warming up, here’s a great family day trip from York to try, with a castle, waterfall and proper Sunday lunch to enjoy. Destination: County Durham. Here’s what we made of Raby Castle and High Force. About Raby Castle Raby is what our children call ‘a proper castle’: it’s all in one […]

Agility Adventure Fitness Park, on Millfield Lane, has only been open for seven weeks, but you’d never guess it. We had a look around and were very impressed by what we found: a large, well-designed space packed full of play opportunities for kids of all ages (and adults who want to channel their inner Gladiator!). […]

We followed the scent of lavender along the A64 to explore Wolds Way Lavender and Nature Farm to see what it’s like as a place to visit with children in tow. What is Wolds Way Lavender? It’s a family-run lavender farm bursting with numerous varieties of lavender and herbs. During the summer months, the air […]

A family camping trip can be a wonderful thing: it’s a chance to have some proper old-school, off-grid adventures and to reconnect with each other without the distractions of school/work/life in general. We camp with our three kids every year – by the seaside, at music festivals, in the glorious Lakes and Yorkshire Dales – […]

Our family has always had a love affair with birds – owls in particular –  and the children have become even more obsessed recently thanks to Harry Potter and his beloved Hedwig. So there was a lot of enthusiasm about visiting the National Centre for Birds of Prey in Helmsley, an award-winning attraction set in […]

If you can’t revel in York’s darker side at Halloween, when can you? And goodness knows there’s a lot to revel in, with links to some of history’s most dastardly dudes, from Guy Fawkes to Dick Turpin. Of course you could find out about them by trawling from one landmark to the next, but trawling […]

There’s always a sense of excitement and anticipation as the seasons turn and we enter the darker months, and often a little hint of magic too. It’s a great time to get outdoors and experience the changes up close, from the turning of the leaves to the nip in the air, and we’ve got just […]

We’ve been excited about the new adventure playground at Castle Howard since we heard whisperings about it a couple of months ago. We’d seen the sketches and heard the plan, so we couldn’t wait to get along and see how it had turned out just a few short weeks later. The youngest (four) and I […]

As a music-mad teenager, and then working for a major record label for a few years, I’ve been a long-time festival-goer. I feared that those days would be long gone once kids came along, but then we moved back up north and discovered Deer Shed. This self-proclaimed family-friendly festival takes place just outside Thirsk each […]

There are loads of birthday party options in York for children, making it really difficult to choose what to do (have a look at our best birthday parties in York here). JORVIK DIG is one of the attractions that offers birthday parties, and we went along to try it for ourselves. Our little Vikings have […]

Brilliant family-run swimming school that we use for our own children

Brilliant family-run swimming school that we use for our own children

Bootham Junior School is for children aged 3 to 11. It aims to get the very best - intellectually, personally, spiritually – from the young people it cares for

Bootham Junior School is for children aged 3 to 11. It aims to get the very best - intellectually, personally, spiritually – from the young people it cares for

Explore Beetle Bank Farm and meet the animals at one of their birthday parties

Explore Beetle Bank Farm and meet the animals at one of their birthday parties